I Need Votes!
To make a short story long...
If you follow my blog, you may remember that I mentioned in my Christmas Wrap-Up post that on Christmas Eve morning I ventured out early to secure some last minute gifts and ended up spinning out on ice roads, then off the roads, through a power box into a ditch and ending my scary ride by smacking up into some asphalt that nearly sheered my front wheel completely off and caused some major damage. The total bill ended up being very close to $3,000!! Yikes, not something I had planned in our budget, especially as Zac and I have put so much of our savings into building our new home and the recent costs of Christmas had also taken a bite out of savings.
I felt guilty and depressed that I had caused this financial strain on our family. And I had no way to go out and earn my keep to help pay for the costs, as day care for five kids would cost me more than any money I can earn working outside the home.
So I decided to get creative. I considered what I consider my talents to be (creativity) and tried to find a way to capitalize on them. I googled "Creativity Contests" and came across the Del Monte Add Some Garden Contest. Each week starting back in November, Del Monte featured a fruit or a vegetable of the week. They asked for participants to describe in about 250 words or less how they would use the said fruit or vegetable to add some garden to their lives. I didn't find out about the contest until the last two featured fruits.
Last week, I submitted my ideas for the peaches contest. I read through all of the entries and felt that my ideas were original and I submitted them. However, as Del Monte has to approve each entry the delay before they post can be hours or sometimes even days depending on how busy they are. In the interim, someone else had submitted my exact same idea, but just a little sooner than I had and they were selected for the top ten :( Discouraging, but motivating for me to get thinking more creatively about the next contest: Pears.
My poor family listened to me talk about all of the thousands of uses for pears all week. When it finally came time for me to submit my ideas, I could submit 10, I was able to hit a lucky win on my last idea and secured a $25 gift card! Woot!
Then out of approx. 1,800 entries, Del Monte narrowed it down to their favorite ten pears ideas. I just found out last night that I was selected in this top ten group! This entitles me to a 3.5 dutch oven that they have valued at $250. I am so excited!!! If I win at this level, I will win $500 and will then advance to compete against the four winners of the other fruits and vegetables for a trip for two to Napa Valley California (and a $2,000 personal check... which would be the exact amount I need to pay for the rest of the repairs on the van!)
So once again, I am asking my family and friends for their love and support. Please click on the link below and vote for me in the contest. You can vote once a day today through Thursday.
The link to vote is:
http://www.facebook.com/delmonte/app_507927122559345
And the entry is "Grilled Pear Delight" by Lori Fillmore. Voting opened today at midnight and closes Thursday January 31st.
YOU CAN VOTE ONCE EVERY DAY!!! AND PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD VIA E-MAIL, FACEBOOK, AND YOUR BLOGS!
I have the best family and friend support system in the world!
If you follow my blog, you may remember that I mentioned in my Christmas Wrap-Up post that on Christmas Eve morning I ventured out early to secure some last minute gifts and ended up spinning out on ice roads, then off the roads, through a power box into a ditch and ending my scary ride by smacking up into some asphalt that nearly sheered my front wheel completely off and caused some major damage. The total bill ended up being very close to $3,000!! Yikes, not something I had planned in our budget, especially as Zac and I have put so much of our savings into building our new home and the recent costs of Christmas had also taken a bite out of savings.
I felt guilty and depressed that I had caused this financial strain on our family. And I had no way to go out and earn my keep to help pay for the costs, as day care for five kids would cost me more than any money I can earn working outside the home.
So I decided to get creative. I considered what I consider my talents to be (creativity) and tried to find a way to capitalize on them. I googled "Creativity Contests" and came across the Del Monte Add Some Garden Contest. Each week starting back in November, Del Monte featured a fruit or a vegetable of the week. They asked for participants to describe in about 250 words or less how they would use the said fruit or vegetable to add some garden to their lives. I didn't find out about the contest until the last two featured fruits.
Last week, I submitted my ideas for the peaches contest. I read through all of the entries and felt that my ideas were original and I submitted them. However, as Del Monte has to approve each entry the delay before they post can be hours or sometimes even days depending on how busy they are. In the interim, someone else had submitted my exact same idea, but just a little sooner than I had and they were selected for the top ten :( Discouraging, but motivating for me to get thinking more creatively about the next contest: Pears.
My poor family listened to me talk about all of the thousands of uses for pears all week. When it finally came time for me to submit my ideas, I could submit 10, I was able to hit a lucky win on my last idea and secured a $25 gift card! Woot!
Then out of approx. 1,800 entries, Del Monte narrowed it down to their favorite ten pears ideas. I just found out last night that I was selected in this top ten group! This entitles me to a 3.5 dutch oven that they have valued at $250. I am so excited!!! If I win at this level, I will win $500 and will then advance to compete against the four winners of the other fruits and vegetables for a trip for two to Napa Valley California (and a $2,000 personal check... which would be the exact amount I need to pay for the rest of the repairs on the van!)
So once again, I am asking my family and friends for their love and support. Please click on the link below and vote for me in the contest. You can vote once a day today through Thursday.
The link to vote is:
http://www.facebook.com/delmonte/app_507927122559345
And the entry is "Grilled Pear Delight" by Lori Fillmore. Voting opened today at midnight and closes Thursday January 31st.
YOU CAN VOTE ONCE EVERY DAY!!! AND PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD VIA E-MAIL, FACEBOOK, AND YOUR BLOGS!
I have the best family and friend support system in the world!
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